Jueces 21
1 Y LOS varones de Israel habían jurado en Mizpa, diciendo: Ninguno de nosotros dará su hija á los de Benjamín por mujer.
The sons of Israel had also taken an oath at Mizpah, and they said, “None of us shall give his daughters as a wife to the sons of Benjamin.”
2 Y vino el pueblo á la casa de Dios, y estuviéronse allí hasta la tarde delante de Dios; y alzando su voz hicieron gran llanto, y dijeron:
And they all went to the house of God at Shiloh. And sitting in his sight until evening, they lifted up their voice, and they began to weep, with a great wailing, saying,
3 Oh Jehová Dios de Israel, ¿por qué ha sucedido esto en Israel, que falte hoy de Israel una tribu?
“Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this evil happened among your people, so that this day one tribe would be taken away from us?”
4 Y al día siguiente el pueblo se levantó de mañana, y edificaron allí altar, y ofrecieron holocaustos y pacíficos.
Then, rising at first light on the next day, they built an altar. And they offered holocausts and victims of peace offerings there, and they said,
5 Y dijeron los hijos de Israel: ¿Quién de todas las tribus de Israel no subió á la reunión cerca de Jehová? Porque se había hecho gran juramento contra el que no subiese á Jehová en Mizpa, diciendo: Sufrirá muerte.
“Who, out of all the tribes of Israel, did not ascend with the army of the Lord?” For they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were at Mizpah, that whoever was not present would be slain.
6 Y los hijos de Israel se arrepintieron á causa de Benjamín su hermano, y dijeron: Una tribu es hoy cortada de Israel.
And the sons of Israel, having been led to repentance over their brother Benjamin, began to say: “One tribe has been taken away from Israel.
7 ¿Qué haremos en cuanto á mujeres para los que han quedado? Nosotros hemos jurado por Jehová que no les hemos de dar nuestras hijas por mujeres.
From where shall they receive wives? For we have all sworn in common that we will not give our daughters to them.”
8 Y dijeron: ¿Hay alguno de las tribus de Israel que no haya subido á Jehová en Mizpa? Y hallaron que ninguno de Jabes-galaad había venido al campo á la reunión:
For this reason, they said, “Who is there, out of all the tribes of Israel, that did not ascend to the Lord at Mizpah?” And behold, the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were found not to have been among that army.
9 Porque el pueblo fué contado, y no hubo allí varón de los moradores de Jabes-galaad.
(Likewise, in the time when they had been at Shiloh, not one of them was found to be there.)
10 Entonces la congregación envió allá doce mil hombres de los más valientes, y mandáronles, diciendo: Id y poned á cuchillo á los moradores de Jabes-galaad, y las mujeres y niños.
And so they sent ten thousand very robust men, and they instructed them, saying, “Go and strike down the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, including their wives and little ones.”
11 Mas haréis de esta manera: mataréis á todo varón, y á toda mujer que hubiere conocido ayuntamiento de varón.
And this shall be what you ought to do: “Every one of the male gender, as well as all the women who have known men, shall be put to death. But the virgins you shall reserve.”
12 Y hallaron de los moradores de Jabes-galaad cuatrocientas doncellas que no habían conocido hombre en ayuntamiento de varón, y trajéronlas al campo en Silo, que es en la tierra de Canaán.
And four hundred virgins, who had not known the bed of a man, were found from Jabesh-Gilead. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.
13 Toda la congregación envió luego á hablar á los hijos de Benjamín que estaban en la peña de Rimmón, y llamáronlos en paz.
And they sent messengers to the sons of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they instructed them, so that they would receive them in peace.
14 Y volvieron entonces los de Benjamín; y diéronles por mujeres las que habían guardado vivas de las mujeres de Jabes-galaad: mas no les bastaron éstas.
And the sons of Benjamin went, at that time, and wives were given to them from the daughters of Jabesh-Gilead. But others were not found, whom they might give in a similar manner.
15 Y el pueblo tuvo dolor á causa de Benjamín, de que Jehová hubiese hecho mella en las tribus de Israel.
And all of Israel was very saddened, and they did penance for destroying one tribe out of Israel.
16 Entonces los ancianos de la congregación dijeron: ¿Qué haremos acerca de mujeres para los que han quedado? Porque el sexo de las mujeres había sido raído de Benjamín.
And those greater by birth said: “What shall we do with the remainder, those who have not received wives? For all the females of Benjamin have been cut down,
17 Y dijeron: La heredad de los que han escapado [ha de ser] lo que era de Benjamín, porque no sea una tribu raída de Israel.
and we must take great care, and make provision with a very great diligence, so that one tribe may not be wiped away from Israel.
18 Nosotros empero, no les podemos dar mujeres de nuestras hijas, porque los hijos de Israel han jurado, diciendo: Maldito el que diere mujer á Benjamín.
As for our own daughters, we are not able to give them, being bound by an oath and a curse, when we said, ‘Accursed is he who will give any of his daughters to Benjamin as a wife.’”
19 Ahora bien, dijeron, he aquí cada un año hay solemnidad de Jehová en Silo, que está al aquilón de Beth-el, y al lado oriental del camino que sube de Beth-el á Sichêm, y al mediodía de Lebona.
And they took counsel, and they said, “Behold, there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord at Shiloh, which is situated to the north of the city of Bethel, and on the eastern side of the way that one takes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the town of Lebonah.”
20 Y mandaron á los hijos de Benjamín, diciendo: Id, y poned emboscada en las viñas:
And they instructed the sons of Benjamin, and they said: “Go, and hide in the vineyards.
21 Y estad atentos: y cuando viereis salir las hijas de Silo á bailar en corros, vosotros saldréis de las viñas, y arrebataréis cada uno mujer para sí de las hijas de Silo, y os iréis á tierra de Benjamín:
And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.
22 Y cuando vinieren los padres de ellas ó sus hermanos á demandárnoslo, nosotros les diremos: Tened piedad de nosotros en lugar de ellos: pues que nosotros en la guerra no tomamos mujeres para todos: que vosotros no se las habéis dado, para que ahora seáis culpables.
And when their fathers and brothers arrive, and they begin to complain against you and to argue, we will say to them: ‘Take pity on them. For they have not seized them by right of war or conquest. Instead, begging to receive them, you did not give them, and so the sin was on your part.’”
23 Y los hijos de Benjamín lo hicieron así; pues tomaron mujeres conforme á su número, pillando de las que danzaban; y yéndose luego, tornáronse á su heredad, y reedificaron las ciudades, y habitaron en ellas.
And so the sons of Benjamin did just as they had been ordered. And according to their number, they seized for themselves one wife each, out of those who were led out dancing. And they went into their own possession, and they built up their cities, and they lived in them.
24 Entonces los hijos de Israel se fueron también de allí, cada uno á su tribu y á su familia, saliendo de allí cada uno á su heredad.
The sons of Israel also returned, according to their tribes and families, to their tents.
25 En estos días no había rey en Israel: cada uno hacía lo recto delante de sus ojos.
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
